Tufting mechanism



Dec. 26, 1933. c. KADLEC 1,941,213

TUFTING MECHANISM Filed 001;. 21, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 772M220!"lzaz'ies [fad/2c Dec. 26, 1933. KADLE 1,941,213'

TUFTING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 21, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1% 7 G 4K F a-1\\\\\\\\\\- E6 -L- L9 Dec. 26, 1933. c. KADLEC 1,941,213

TUFTING MECHANISM Filed 001;. 21, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 xi: \5. i

g l7 7 O Zrzzrenlar Patented Dec. 26, 1933 TUFTING MECHANISM CharlesKadlec, Oshkosh, Wis., assignor to Waite Carpet Company, Oshkosh, Wis.,a corporation of.Wisconsin Application October 21,

24 Claims.

This invention relates to a tufting mechanism adapted to be incorporatedinto a sewing machine for the purpose of drawing out the thread in aseries of loops and cutting the same to form tufts so that the resultingproduct will exhibit characteristics of a tufted rug. In mechanism ofthis class, it is necessary to provide means associated with the needle,for engaging the loop of thread carried down by the needle and holdingthe loop while the needle recedes and also to provide mechanism forcutting the loop to present the cut ends as the constituents of a tuftin the completed product. In certain prior constructions, independentlyoperated means have been employed for looping and for cutting and alsoindependent means for clamping the loop when formed to prevent it frombeing drawn back by the recession of the needle. The present inventionsimplifies the construction by combining the looping and cutting meansin such a way as to avoid the necessity for independent clamping means,and the present invention also utilizes the standard feeding mechanismof the sewing machine to assist in the formation and cutting of the loopso that independently movable looping and cutting mechanism is dispensedwith.

In the present embodiment of the invention, the tufting features havebeen shown as combined with needle operating and feeding mechanism of astandard Singer sewing machine, the movements of which readily lendthemselves to the requirements of the present invention although thetufting devices might be associated with other sewing machine movementsadequate to afford a feed of the required character.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an end elevation of the working parts of a Singer sewingmachine with the looping and cutting devices of the present inventionassociated therewith.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the supporting table showing the looper indotted lines below.

Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 are details showing the feeding and loopingmechanisms in various positions of adjustment during a single cycle ofoperations.

Figure 7 is an enlarged detail showing the manner in which the loops areformed on the looper and cut by the associated knife.

Figure 8 is a face view of the feed plate and presser foot in theinitial position showing in dotted lines the position occupied at theend of a feeding stroke.

And Figure 9 is a detail taken on line 9-9 of Figure 1. v

1929. Serial No. 401,021

The mechanism comprises a reciprocating needle 10; a feeding plate 11and a presser foot 12 which, as shown, are substantially in the formemployed in a standard Singer sewing machine,

although the feeding plate is modified somewhat in a manner shortly tobe described. The needle is carried by a reciprocating needle rod 13 andthe feed plate is carried by rod 14. The needle rod and to some extentin unison and are mounted to afa reciprocating feed the feed rod operateford a four-way motion during the course of which the feed plate will beinitially lifted and thrust rearwardly while the after which the feedplate an together, the needle, however, being given a much needle isalso lifted, d needle will descend longer stroke in order to pierce thefabric and carry through the loop-forming thread or yarn.

Thereafter, both needle and to feed the fabric forwardly 1, whichfeeding action serves to draw the yarn feedplate will move or to theleft in Fig.

loop across the point 15 of a bill-shaped looper 16. The looper is ofrelatively thin formation so that it will not tend unduly to spread theloop and to one side of the bill-shaped secured a knife blade 17,preferably having a looper is removably advancing recession of theneedle and loop to produce the tuft.

loop and hold the same against the ultimately sever the The presser foot12 operates in alternation to the feed plate 11 and serves to hold thefabric against lifting or withdrawal as the needle and feed plate areelevated. The presser foot is carried at the lower end of areciprocating presser foot rod 18 and is so disposed, as shown in Figure9, as to operate within a recess 19 formed through one side of the feedplate. The presser foot is bifurcated to provide a slot 20 through whichthe needle operates.

The feed plate is carried by a bracket 21 mounted at the lower end ofthe feed plate rod 14, the bracket being pivoted between ears 22, upstfeed plate will be centrally anding from the upsuspended and permittedto rock more or less to more perfectly adapt it for engagement with theupper surface of the fabric.

The underface of the feed plate and the under face of the presser footare both serrated, the teeth presenting their abrupt faces in thedirection of movement of the fabric which is from d fed forwardly overthe surface of a table 23, which is the standard table of a Singermachine and which is provided with an inwardly extending U-shaped recess24 which receives a plate 25 having a surface flush with the table top,which plate, as shown in Fig. 2 is provided with an elongated slot 26for the passage of the needle. The plate is also provided with a secondaligned slot 2'7, through which projects the upper edge of a thin gaugeplate 28, the body of which projects below the table top and is pivotedby a pin 29 to a lever 30 of the first order, the rear arm of which isupturned and abuts against a coil spring 31, which permits the gaugeplate to be depressed under spring tension. The gauge plate serves toafford a line of demarcation between the previously completed lines oftufting and to prevent interference by the tufted surface with the barefabric presented for a new line of stitching.

The point of the needle when depressed, bears against the rounded uppersurface of a guide head 32 carried upon a post 33 suitably secured tothe frame of the table which guide head serves to accurately positionthe point of the needle with respect to the tip of the looper so that asthe needle is carried forwardly in its four-way movement ofreciprocation, it will positively carry the newly formed loop onto thetip of the looper as best indicated in Fig. '7.

The looper is provided with a slot 35 which receives a set screw 36adapted to clamp the looper in adjusted position upon the frame of thetable, and precise adjustment is effected by the manipulation of anadjusting screw member 37, which is held in locked position by a jam nut38 bearing against the edge of the table.

A brief rsum of the operating mechanism for the rods 13, 14 and 18 willbe given although these parts constitute the standard features ofconstruction of a Singer machine sothat detailed description thereof isnot deemed necessary. The three rods extend upwardly into a housing 39,which constitutes the end portion of the sewing machine and motion isderived from a disc 40 mounted on the end of the power shaft 41 of themachine.

Through suitable linkage 42, motion is derived from the rotating disc40. The rod 13 is provided with a collar 43, which is reciprocatedthrough the linkage 42, and the collar 43 is pivoted to a slide block44, which is guided within a rectangular guide frame 45, the upper endof which is pivoted at 46 to a sleeve 47, rigidly mounted upon the rod14 and provided with a head 48 through which the rod 13 is slidablymounted. The frame constitutes one of the arms of a bell crank device,the other arm 49 of which is pivoted to a link 50, the lower end ofwhich is in turn pivoted to a collar 51 which is fast on the rod 18. Therods 13 and 14 are reciprocably mounted through a slide block 52 whichis carried by the lower wall of the housing 39 and permits of a limitedback and forth horizontal movement commensurate with the feeding backand forth movements imparted to the feed plate and the needle. The upperends of the rods 13 and 14 are guided through the upper wall of thehousing 39 free play being afforded to accommodate back and forthmovements of the lower ends of the respective rods. I

This system of links, levers and connections is one which imparts anextended range of reciprocatingmovement to the needle, and a slightrange of reciprocating movement to the feed plate and also imparts tothese two instrumentalities a back and forth movement in unison toeffect the feeding of the fabric in conformity with the principle offeeding and needle operation embodied in Singer sewing machines ofstandard construction.

In operation, with the parts in what may be termed the initial positionillustrated in Figure 3, the feed plate and needle will both stand inelevated relation and the presser foot in depressed relation upon thefabric to be tufted. As the needle and feed plate descend, the presserfoot will be lifted and the needle will pierce the fabric, carrying withit the thread or yarn until it reaches the position indicated in Figure4. This brings the needle into guiding contact with the curved surfaceof the guide head 32 and into immediate proximity with the tip of thelooper. With the parts in this position, the needle and feed plate inunison will move forwardly to the position indicated in Figure 5 andthis will carry the impaled fabric forward under the conjoint feedingaction of the feed plate and the needle and will also carry the looponto the tip of the looper so that the loop will be spread and heldagainst withdrawal upon the final recession of the l needle which occursas the presser foot descends to re-engage the fabric. This is theposition as indicated in Figure 6 and before the feed plate and needlehave moved rearwardly to again resume the feeding operation. I

As successive loops are thus formed and carried along with the feedingof the fabricfthe loops will be crowded against one another and will'bedrawn along the razor-like edge of the cutting knife and thus severedand transformed 1 into tufts and released from the looper. It is thisaction in utilizing the feed for the fabric to draw the loops onto andalong the looper, which permits a stationary looper and combined knifeto be employed in lieu of movable looping and cutting 1 elements with acorresponding simplification in structure and a resulting precision inoperation. The tufts as cut will progress forwardly with the advancingfabric and be lifted out through the slot 26 so that they will in no wayinterfere with i the action of the needle and looper in the formation ofsuccessive loops. The gauge plate 28 will serve to press the previouslyformed line of tufts away from the bare fabric presented to the needleand at the same time assist in main- I taining a straight line ofadvance in the formation of a new line of stitching. The device as awhole is extremely simple in construction and may be readily applied tosewing machines of standard construction, with but slight modifica- 1'tion which consists mainly in the substitution of the looping elementsbelow the table in place of standard stitching devices customarilyprovided at this point.

Although as shown the knife blade is made separable from the looperwhich facilitates sharpening and is otherwise a convenient arrangement,it is not the intention to limit the invention to this arrangement sincethe looper itself might be sharpened along its under edge and;thussub-serve the purpose of a knife in severing the loops. Othermodifications in detail also may be introduced without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

I claim: .3

1. In a tufting mechanism of the class described, the combination with areciprocating needle, a bill shaped looping device presenting its freeend toward the line of reciprocation of the needle, a knife presentingits cutting edge to the line of movement of loops formed around thelooping device and feeding means associated with the needle and adaptedto feed the fabric forwardly and to carry the loops over the free end ofthe looper and along the cutting edge of the knife to sever the same andform tufts.

2. In a tufting mechanism of the class described, the combination with areciprocating needle, a looping device in co-acting relation with theneedle, a knife presenting the line of movement of loops formed aroundthe looping device and feeding means associated with the needle andadapted to feed the fabric forwardly and to carry the loops onto thelooper and along the cutting edge of the knife to sever the same andform tufts, said feeding means including a feeding plate and a presserfoot adapted to engage the fabric in alternation to one another.

3. In a tufting mechanism of the class described, the combination with areciprocating needle, a looping device in co-acting relation with theneedle, a knife presenting its cutting edge to the line of movement ofloops formed around the looping device and feeding means associated withthe needle and adapted to feed the fabric forwardly and to carry theloops onto the looper and along the cutting edge of the knife to severthe same and form tufts, said feeding means including a feeding plateand a presser foot adapted to engage the fabric in alternation to oneanother; means for reciprocating the needle and feeding plate'inuiiisonthrough different ranges of movement and for imparting back and forthfeeding movements in unison to the feeding plate and needle; and meansfor reciprocating the presser foot in alternation to the reciprocatingmovements of the feeding plate.

4. In a tufting mechanism of the class described, the combination with aneedle, a fixed looping device having a cutting edge associatedtherewith, a guide for the tip of the needle to maintain the same whenlowered in closely adjacent relation to the tip of the looper to presenta newly formed loop thereto; means for reciprocating the needle; andmeans for feeding fabric and carrying the loops onto the looper andalong the cutting edge with the advance of the fabric.

5. In a tufting mechanism of the classdescribed, the combination with aneedle, a fixed looping device having a cutting edge associatedtherewith, a guide for the tip of the needle to maintain the same whenlowered in closely ad- -,iacent relation to the tip of the looper topresent a newly formed loop thereto; means for reciprocating the needle;means for feeding fabric and carrying the loops onto the looper andalong the cutting edge with the advance of the fabric; and a gauge platein proximate relation to the needle and in position to block ofi thepreviously formed tufts from the newly presented fabric.

6. In a tufting mechanism of the class described, the combination of areciprocating needle, a bill-shaped looping device presenting its pointin proximate relation to the tip of the needle when pressed downwardly,said looper having a knife edge along its under surface; feeding meanshaving a four-way movement and adapted to advance the fabric and meansfor imparting a. similar four-way movement to the needle to carry thepoint thereof in transverse relation to the point of the looper tointroduce a loop thereonto.

'7. In a tufting mechanism of the class described, the combination of areciprocating needie, a bill-shaped looping device presenting its pointin proximate relation to the tip of the its cutting edge to needle whenpressed downwardly, said looper having a knife edge along its undersurface; feeding means having a four-way movement and adapted to advancethe fabric and means for imparting a similar four-way movement to theneedle to carry the point thereof in transverse relation to the point ofthe looper to introduce the loop thereonto, and a presser foot; andmeans for imparting reciprocating movements thereto in alternation tothe reciprocating movements first described.

8. ma tufting mechanism of the class de scribed, the combination of areciprocating needle, a bill-shaped looping device presenting its pointin proximate relation to the tip of the needle when pressed downwardly,said looper having a knife edge along its under surface; feeding meanshaving a four-way movement and adapted to advance the fabric andmeans'for imparting a similar four-way movement to the needle to carrythe point thereof in transverse relation to the point of the looper tointroduce the loop thereonto, a presser foot. means for impartingreciprocating movements thereto in alternation to the reciprocatingmovements first described; and a yieldable gauge plate in proximaterelation to the needle and in position to hold the previously formedline 'of tufting away from interference with the needle. 1

9. In a tufting mechanism of the class described. the combination of areciprocating needle, a bill-shaped looping device presenting its pointin proximate relation to the'tip of the needle when pressed downwardly,said looper having a knife edgealong its undersurface; feeding meanshaving a four-way movement and adapted to advance the fabric and meansfor imparting a similar four-way movement to the needle to carry thepoint thereof in transverse relation to the point of the looper tointroduce the loopthereonto, a presser foot, means for impartingreciprocating movements thereto in alternation'to the reciprocatingmovements first described; and a guide head positioned to present itssurface laterally to the point of the needle when thrust downwardly andadapted to maintain the point of the needle in alignment' with the .tipof the to advance the fabric and means for imparting a similar four-waymovement to the needle to carry the point thereof in transverse relationto the point of the looper to introduce theloop thereonto, a presserfoot, means for imparting reciprocating movements thereto in alternationto the reciprocating movements first described{ a yieldable gauge platein proximate relation to the needle and in position to hold thepreviously formed line of tufting away from interference with theneedle: and a guide'head positioned to present its surface laterally tothe point of the needle when thrust downwardly and adapted to maintainthe point of the needle in alignment with the tip of the loopenwhenintroducing a new loop thereonto.

11. The method of tuftinga fabric'which consists in stitchin with aneedle to carry successive turns of yarn through the fabric, advancingthe fabric to carry the turns of yarn successively forward onto an edgedmember to restrain the turns of the yarn during the withdrawal of theneedle in the formation of loops. and continuing the advancement of thefabric to draw the loops forward along the edged member to sever thesame in the formation of tufts.

12. In a tufting mechanism of the class described, the combination of areciprocating needle, a bill-shaped looper presenting its free endtoward the line of reciprocation of the needle and provided with acutting edge standing in oblique relation to the line of advance of thefabric and presenting said cutting edge to the line of movement of theloops formed around the looper, and feeding means associated with theneedle and adapted to feed the fabric forwardly and to carry the loopsover the free end of the looper and along the cutting edge to sever thesame and form tufts.

13. In a tufting mechanism of the class described. the combination ofa-reciprocating needle, a looper in coacting relation with the needleand provided with a cutting edge standing in oblique relation to theline of advance of the fabric and presenting said cutting edge to theline of movement of the loops formed around the looper, and feedingmeans associated with the needle and adapted to feed the fabricforwardly and to carry the loops to the looper and along the cuttingedge to sever the same and form tufts, said feeding means including afeeding plate and a presser foot adapted to engage the fabric inalternation to one another.

14. In a tufting mechanism of the class described. the combination of aneedle, a fixed looper having a cutting edge standing in obliquerelation to the line of advance of the fabric, a guide for the tip ofthe needle to maintain the same when lowered into closely adjacent.relation to the tip of the looper to present a newly formed loopthereto, means for reciprocating and forwardly feeding the needle tointroduce the loops onto the looper. and means for feeding the fabricand carrying the loops along the cutting edge with the advance of thefabric.

15. In a tufting mechanism of the class described, the combination of areciprocating needie, a stationary looping device in coacting relationwith the needle, a guide for the tip of the needle to maintain the samewhen lowered in closely adjacent relation to the tip of the loopingdevice, to present a newly formed loop thereto, means for intermittentlyadvancing the needle when lowered to carry the loops onto the loopingdevice, a knife carried by the looping device and presenting its cuttingedge to' the loops formed around the looping device, and means foreffecting relative movement between the loops and the cutting edge tosever the loops and form tufts.

16. In apparatus for applying pile loops to a backing sheet, areciprocatory thread carrying and sheet puncturing needle, incombination with a stationary looper blade for cooperation with saidneedle in forming, retaining and tightening the loops and determiningthe length thereof, said needle being relatively movable to directlydeliver each initiated loop under and onto said blade.

1'7. In tufting apparatus, a stationary free-end looper blade arrangedunder the fabric back to be punctured by the pile thread carrying needlein applying pile loops thereto, in combination with a reciprocatorypuncturing pile thread carrying needle relatively movable to cooperatewith the free end of said blade in directly passing the thread carriedby the needle onto and under said blade end and in tightening andpulling the same rearwardly on said blade.

18. Apparatus for applying series of pile loops to a backing sheet,embodying means to advance said sheet step by step; a pilethread-carrying needle longitudinally reciprocatory, to puncture saidsheet after each feed stroke of the sheet to carry the loop formingthread therethrough; means to move said needle laterally when extendingthrough the sheet with each forward feeding step of said sheet and tomove the needle laterally on its return lateral stroke while withdrawnfrom said sheet; and a stationary looper on which the looped thread isthreaded by said lateral movement of the needle with the advancingmovement of said sheet.

19. Apparatus for applying pile loops to backing sheets, embodyingfeeding means to positively advance the sheet, in which the pile threadis to be stitched to form pile loops or tufts, step by step; astationary pile thread looper and retainer longitudinally arranged underthe path traveled by said sheet and having a free front end; and a pilethread-carrying needle having an eye near its point and reciprocatoryfor puncturing said sheet and carrying a loop of the pile threadtherethrough, said needle being relatively movable and cooperating withthe free end of the looper to thread successive pile thread loops on andunder said end and to tighten the loops on said looper as the sheetadvances step by step.

20. In combination; a pile-thread-carrying and backing-sheet-puncturingneedle; actuating means for said needle; a stationary loop'er blade tocooperate with the needle in threading the successive pile thread loopson the blade with the closed ends of the loops stretched across theunder longitudinal edge of the blade and travelling rearwardly thereonas the backing sheet advances, and means for severing said closed endsof the successive loops as they move rearwardly on said blade.

21. The combination in a sewing machine with a needle havingreciprocatory movement to form loops from yarn incident to passagethrough fabric being worked upon, and also having lateral movementincident to progressive feeding of the fabric; of tufting meansincluding a stationary element adaptd to receive and hold loopssuccessively presented to it by the needle as the same moves laterallyin the manner aforesaid.

22. The combination in a sewing machine with a needle havingreciprocatory movement to form loops from yarn incident to passagethrough the fabric being worked upon, and also having lateral movementincident to progressive feeding of the fabric; of tufting meansincluding an element to receive and hold loops successively presented toit by the needle as the same moves laterally as aforesaid, and means tosever the loops while held by said element.

23. In combination, feeding means for positively advancing step by stepthe backing sheet in which a pile thread is to be stitched to form asuccession of pile loops or tufts, a pile threadcarrying andsheet-puncturing needle having an eye for said thread, said needle beingperiodically movable transversely through said sheet to carry a loop ofthread through the sheet and to return through the sheet, a relativelyfixed looper co-operating with said needle to receive and hold each loopduringan advancing step of said sheet under the positive feeding actionof said feeding means, said needle being relatively and to return theneedle laterally while withdrawn from the sheet, means to periodicallypositively advance said sheet step by step while the needle extendsthrough the sheet, and a relatively stationary looper below the sheetand 00- operating with the needle to receive the loops from the needleon the lateral strokes of the needle with the advancing movement or andwhile extending through the sheet.

CHARLES KADLEC.

